


Love Sick

by lanagotconed20



Series: Road Trip [11]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Caretaking, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Love, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:33:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29979486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanagotconed20/pseuds/lanagotconed20
Summary: Whenever Asami gets sick, she tends to rely on the only one who has never let her down - herself. But now that Korra's in her life, maybe being cared for by someone else isn't so bad after all.
Relationships: Korra & Asami Sato, Korra/Asami Sato
Series: Road Trip [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136540
Comments: 30
Kudos: 131





	Love Sick

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to @BarbWireThong for being the best beta!
> 
> [Check out some of her brilliant Korrasami writing here. ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarbWireThong/pseuds/BarbWireThong)

Asami awoke suddenly, darting upright. Wiping a bit of drool from her mouth, she looked around to gather her bearings.

She was in her office. She looked down at the paperwork in front of her, lamenting for only a moment at the small makeup smudge that had appeared on the semi-important document. No matter, she could always have Jinora print another one.

Speaking of Jinora - Asami had just registered that Jinora was sitting calmly, unassumingly, in the chair in front of her desk, looking studiously down at her work tablet.

“Jinora! Was I, um, you know…” she didn’t want to acknowledge the unprofessionalism in that she’d fallen asleep, but it felt best to address the elephant in the room.

“No, boss. You called me in here to ask my opinion regarding a very pressing work issue. I let the rest of the office know that we would be in a closed door meeting for a bit and to not be disturbed,” she said factually.

“And… just how long have we been in this meeting?”

“About a half hour.” She closed whatever she was working on, seemingly deciding that she’d given Asami enough time to compose herself. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m just fine,” she assured her with a confidence that she didn’t quite feel. Jinora must have noticed that she’d fallen asleep at her desk and afforded her the opportunity to save face to her employees. That was incredibly kind of her, but she never should have fallen asleep to begin with. Yes, she’d been feeling a bit under the weather the last couple of days, but it was fine. She was _fine._ Just fine.

Or at least, that’s what she told Korra, who was back home in Alabama, wondering why they hadn’t video called as much as usual. If she heard how sick Asami _sounded_ (because she wasn’t actually sick - Asami Sato did _not_ get sick), she knew she’d hop a plane and fly across the country to take care of her. That’s just who Korra was, and as much as she loved her for it, Asami just didn’t want to worry her. It was just the sniffles. The CEO of a major corporation could handle some _sniffles._

Trying and failing to hide her coughing by covering her face with the crook of her arm, Jinora reached down to a bag at her feet and pulled out a fresh bag of cough drops. Asami took them gratefully and popped one in her mouth.

Once her coughing had subsided, she took a sip of her tea - _ugh, it’s gone cold -_ as Jinora spoke. “So, how are things with Korra?” She spoke hesitantly, and she had been Asami’s assistant (well, now _consultant_ because she was just too capable) for long enough that Asami heard what she really meant. _Does Korra know you’re sick?_

Somehow, Korra had struck up a friendship with Jinora the last time she was here with her in San Francisco. Well, not “somehow” - she was more convinced by the day that she never met a stranger. She and Jinora had kept in touch, evidently - and truthfully, Asami didn’t mind. She loved that Korra cared about who she cared about.

“Can’t wait for me to be back with her next week, but she’s well.” In response, Jinora quirked a brow as if to say, _Well at least one of you is._ For someone typically so stoic, she sure was trying to communicate a lot with her face.

However, Asami had little to no energy as it was, so deciphering her nonverbal cues wasn’t something she very much wanted to do. “I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself. Always have,” Asami adamantly said. The validity of her statement _may_ have been degraded by her having to grab a tissue to dab her nose in the middle of her sentence, but whatever.

“I understand, boss,” Jinora said with her usual composure. “But I also know that you’ve been a lot happier since you’ve been in a relationship with Korra. And I know when I’m sick, Kai always takes the best care of me. Makes me feel better much faster.”

Asami had only met Kai once at an office party, but he seemed to make a pretty good boyfriend. Maybe Jinora was right…

No. She couldn’t bother Korra like that. She had a life too, and she wasn’t about to call her across the country just to hand her tissues. She would be _fine._

“I’m sure she’ll… she’ll… * _achoo!*_ dote on me fully when I… ah.. * _achoo!*_ get back to Alabama next week,” _Damn sneezes._

“I’m sure you’re right. Well,” Jinora said as she stood and turned to head back to her desk, “please just let me know if I can be of any more assistance to you.”

“I will. Thank you.” When she closed the door behind her, Asami looked at the time on her watch. Only 8:52am. She usually stayed and worked until about 7:00pm most days, so she better hop to it and find some sort of groove to get her through.

_Just get through today,_ she thought to herself as she smushed her cheek in her hand, trying to focus on whatever kind of report it was that was before her. _You can do this. Just some sniffles. No big deal._

——-

Korra never interrupted her counseling sessions with personal matters, but when she saw Jinora’s name on her phone, she cashed in on some of the kindness she had given this long term client of hers. Assuring her that she would still get her full hour, she stepped outside to take the call.

“Jinora, hi. Is everything alright?” She never called Korra. Her thoughts immediately went to her girlfriend.

“Hello. Well, yes and no. Nothing urgent,” she said in a hushed tone. “Ms. Sato is feeling a bit under the weather, and I know it’s not my place to meddle, but I was wondering if you had been informed.”

She thought Asami sounded a little nasally on the phone last night. Come to think of it, they hadn’t video called at all, really. She’d been texting a lot more than usual. “Actually, no. She had a bit of a runny nose when she left, but I just thought it was our crazy weather that threw her out of whack.” In Alabama, the weather was unpredictable - one day you could have snow, and the next day you could be walking around comfortably in flip flops with a tornado warning in effect. That’s just how it was.

“Hmm. I had reason to think so.” Korra could hear typing on the other end of the phone. “If I were to say, book a flight for you, hypothetically, to come care for your girlfriend since you’re the only one she would allow to care for her, could you say, perhaps, that you could fit it into your schedule? I’m afraid she won’t take my hints that she needs to go home and rest. And unfortunately, I’m a bit too low on the echelon here to be giving her orders. But you,” she said matter of factly, “I have ample reason that she would be unable to refuse you.”

_The little stink._ Asami knew good and well that she would have flown to her of her own volition had she known she was more than a little sick. “Thank you for letting me know, Jinora. Go ahead and book it and text me the details, please. I’ll make it happen.”

One day Asami would learn that she would drop the world for the chance to love her thoroughly. Korra was determined to prove that to her, one day at a time. She had spent most of her life taking care of herself - but no more, especially when she didn’t have to.

“Wonderful. There’s a flight that leaves in an hour and a half. I understand that might be pushing it for you, but -“

“I’m heading to the airport now. Asami made sure to have everything I could need on hand at her apartment anyway, so I won’t have to go home and pack.” Korra said while she smiled to herself. Always prepared, that woman was. A text to Bolin to ask to stop by and feed Naga, and she should be good to go.

“Excellent. Thank you. I’ll be glad to see her under your care,” she said with obvious relief riddled in her tone. “Your flight will be first class. I’m sure that Ms. Sato would have it no other way.”

Jinora probably wasn’t wrong. “Thank _you_ for calling me. She’s lucky to have you at Future Industries.”

“Of course. A car will be waiting for you when you arrive to bring you to the office. Safe travels.” A quiet _click_ ended the call.

Looks like she would have to cash in on a little more kindness today, what with rescheduling her afternoon - maybe some phone or video sessions for the next few days - but Asami was more than worth it.

——

“Hey, Jinoraaa?” _When did they make the print on these cough syrup bottles so little?_

“Yes, boss?” She hurried into her office, looking a bit alarmed. It was only then that Asami realized she may have _whined_ her name - just a little. Oops. It was almost 6:00pm, and frankly, she was feeling a little worse for wear.

“Can you read me the correct dosage, please? My eyes seem to be a bit… blurry.”

Jinora took it from her, studied the bottle for a moment, and poured some liquid into the small cup. Without a word, but with a concerned glance, she handed it to her.

She downed it like a shot. “Thank you. I should be good for the day if you want to head home,” Asami told her as she chased the disgusting liquid down with some more tea.

“Actually, I have a few things to catch up on. I’ll be leaving shortly, but I’ll let you know when I do.” She nervously looked down at her phone. Wait, when did Jinora ever use her cell phone at work? Oh well, it’s not like she had enough energy to question it anyway.

She walked out of her office, glancing again down at the phone. “Thanks,” Asami halfheartedly mumbled as she sighed. Just a few more things, then she would follow suit. Maybe if she just rested her eyes, just for a minute. That would help her be more productive, right?

She laid her head down on the desk, making a mental note to give herself two minutes. Okay, maybe five. Seven _tops._

An undetermined amount of time later, she raised her head up at the sound of her favorite person speaking her name in the most pitying tone. “ _Asamiiii._ Sweetheart, you should have called me.”

She snatched the cough syrup bottle up from the desk and squinted at it. _What the hell do they put in this stuff these days?_ She was seeing things. Have mercy, maybe she _did_ need to go home.

Shaking her head around to bring some coherency back to her mind, she smelled Korra’s familiar perfume - she wasn’t sure what was in it, but it was just so very _Korra._ Floral but fruity, like a picnic on a summer day.

She felt Korra’s hand on her cheek. “Am I tripping out right now? Or are you actually here?”

Korra leaned down and planted a sweet kiss on her lips. “Here. Now come on, I’m taking you home.”

——

“You shouldn’t have come,” Asami said as she snuggled into Korra’s arms a little closer on the elevator ride up to her penthouse apartment. “I’m really mad at you, actually,” she said softly as she wrapped her arms around Korra a little tighter. “Furious, in fact.” She sighed the last little bit as the elevator dinged.

Korra had only stayed at Asami’s apartment a few times since they’d been together, but the sheer expanse of it never seemed to not intimidate her just a little. Clean and crisp, everything in a certain place - a stark contrast to Korra’s cozy atmosphere she created in her home. Red, black, white, and gray dominated the decor, but this time, she noticed a little blue in certain places. Not much - a blue blanket across the gray sofa, a blue picture frame holding a picture of the two of them on a bookshelf, and a blue candle on the coffee table. Asami had mentioned a few weeks ago that the color reminded her of Korra, so to see her add specific reminders of her to her home - well, it made her feel loved.

“Yeah, yeah,” Korra said as she half dragged her to the couch. “Your clinging makes that really convincing.” She’d never seen Asami quite like this before, and her nurturing instinct had been kicked into high gear. Attempting to lead her down gently, Asami decided that flopping would be more appropriate. Truly, it looked like the poor woman was about to pass out. “Why don’t you take a nap while I fix you something to eat?”

“Not hurmgary,” she murmured with her face smashed into a pillow. “Plus there’s nothing here anyway. I eat out and order in, mostly.”

“Oh, my dear,” Korra said as she combed her fingers through Asami’s hair. “Don’t doubt my ways.” Actually, Jinora had one of Asami’s interns go buy a few groceries and deliver them to her apartment per Korra’s request.

Asami didn’t respond though, because she had evidently already dozed off. Soft fingers through her hair was one of her weaknesses, and Korra just might’ve taken advantage of that.

Ever so gently, she took off her shoes, jewelry, and the few bobby pins she knew she strategically hid in her hair for maximum volume. She tucked her in with the blanket and made her way to the kitchen.

The apartment was a mostly open floor plan, so she tried to be as quiet as possible as she worked to prepare her mother’s chicken noodle soup. It made her feel better every time she was sick, and she doubted that Asami had been eating well the past few days.

As the soup began to simmer, she cleaned up her small mess and went back to the couch to check on Asami. She was snoring slightly, which was new - her nose must be pretty stuffy, then. Carefully, she raised her up to place another pillow behind her head. Before she could move away, Asami reached out in her sleep and cradled one of Korra’s arms to her chest. Her need for comfort wasn’t so obviously expressed when she was conscious, so Korra left it there until she couldn’t wait any longer to stir the soup.

After finding some bowls, Korra found a serving tray and brought everything in - soup, crackers, juice, and some hot tea, along with some cold medicine.

Grazing her thumb across her love’s cheek to rouse her from her slumber, she whispered close to her ear. “Hey, Asami. Sweetheart, I need you to eat something.”

In response, Asami said nothing, but lethargically reached for Korra’s hand to tuck it under her own cheek. She might not be fully awake, but she was awake enough to hear what she was saying. She tried again. “I made you some soup. Can you sit up for me?” Unthinkingly, Korra’s free hand made its home in combing its way through Asami’s hair again.

Rookie mistake. Still keeping her right hand anchored between her cheek and the pillow, Asami grabbed her left hand and held it to her other cheek. Now holding Asami’s face (clearly not against her will, but against her intent), she watched the corners of her girlfriend’s lips turn up ever so slightly as she murmured a soft “no.”

Korra knew she had two options here: she could use her physical strength to pull Asami up into a sitting position, or she could use her strength of persuasion to make Asami _want_ to sit up on her own.

Seeking the path of least resistance, she chose the latter. Leaning her face down to Asami’s, she made her sudden closeness known with a soft bump of her nose to hers. “Hey you, down there,” she whispered. “I bet you your favorite kind of kiss that you _won’t_ sit up and eat this soup.”

She was well aware that Asami had a hard time turning down a challenge. And a challenge with the particular kind of payout she was offering? Irresistible.

Asami cracked open one of her eyes just enough to glare. Korra stayed where she was, her lips a tantalizing tease away. With an exasperated huff, Asami allowed herself to be pulled into a sitting position. Staying true to her word, Korra rewarded her completely. Her girlfriend was a sucker for the type of kiss that Korra loved to give best - one that started slow and soft, but then deepened as Korra poured her love into it. Even though Asami didn’t respond as energetically as usual, her drowsy smile communicated her pleasure.

Still in her form fitting work clothes, Korra knew she couldn’t really be comfortable. “Now, don’t get the wrong idea, ma’am,” she said as she took off her own flannel shirt. “But I’m going to swap your shirt for mine.” She also was well aware of how much Asami loved to wear her shirts - how cozy it made her feel. She had on a tank top underneath it, so she would be just fine. She purposefully (as opposed to her usual teasing way that she used when they had… well, other plans) unbuttoned Asami’s blouse and slipped it off her shoulders.

She didn’t protest in the slightest, but instead lifted her arms as a grumpy child might have when being dressed for the first day of school. Her head lolled around a bit and her eyes remained mostly closed, and without too much thought, Korra kissed her again as she wrapped her own shirt around her. Before putting her arms through, and keeping her eyes respectfully closed, she reached around her and unhooked her bra. No one who is feeling the least bit sick should have to wear one of _those._

Kissing her while putting clothes _on_ her felt rather strange, but Asami drank it in needily, her own hands latching on to Korra’s tank top to hold her in place. She kissed her until she’d buttoned the soft blue flannel all the way up to her neck. Lastly, reaching under the blanket, she unzipped Asami’s pants and slid them down her legs. She’s never said it in so many words, but Korra had learned that while she would say that going around without pants was “improper,” she really did prefer it sometimes.

Breaking their kiss to tug her pants from around her ankles, she looked up to find Asami much more alert. Knowing that a kiss from her could hold this revitalizing effect made Korra’s stomach do a backflip. She settled herself on the couch next to her, reaching for the tray of food. “When was the last time you took medicine?”

“Um… yes.” Asami replied with her brow furrowed, head falling onto Korra’s shoulder.

“Not exactly the answer I was looking for,” Korra said with a fond laugh. “I could give Jinora a call, then, and ask her…?”

Scrunching her nose up in thought, Asami said, “5ish. I think. Yeah. 5:45? Cough medicine. Cherry. Awful.”

Handing her some pills and a glass of juice, Korra couldn’t help but laugh again at how cute it was that she was earnestly trying to remember as many details as possible. “Take these.”

Without hesitation, she lethargically lifted the pills and glass to her mouth. The trust involved in taking medicine without question gave Korra’s heart the warmest glow. Placing the bowl of soup in her lap, she put the spoon directly into her hand. Asami looked at it questioningly, as if she were thinking, _now what do you do for a living, sir? And how might you serve me today?_

It seemed as if Asami was quickly approaching a state of delirium from being so exhausted. Really, how hard had she pushed herself the past few days?

Korra reached for the remote to turn on Asami’s favorite show, _The Dick Van Dyke Show._ Scrolling through the list of episodes, she remembered one of her girlfriend’s favorites - one titled “Pink Pills and Purple Parents.” She turned it on, and after seeing which episode it was, Asami turned to Korra as if she’d found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. “I love you so much,” she said almost a little weepily.

“And I love you, my dear,” she said as she put Asami’s spoon down into her soup. “Now, watch and eat. I want you to have taken five bites before the first ‘Oh, Rob!’ and half this bowl down by the time Rob’s parents arrive.”

Knowing good and well Asami knew this episode by heart, she understood the time crunch Korra had just imposed. She mindlessly began to eat as her focus remained on the show, her giggles spilling out at certain parts. It was one of the sillier episodes, but Korra found herself watching Asami’s reactions to it instead.

Testing her, Korra raised a cracker to Asami’s lips - with a small stink eye, she accepted. Now, every three bites, she had Asami trained to open her mouth to be fed another.

By the time the credits rolled their familiar tune, Asami had successfully eaten most of her soup and was on the brink of passing out again. Before she could, Korra took her bowl and wrapped her arms around her to pick her up from the couch. “Mmm,” Asami groaned as her head nuzzled into Korra’s neck. “I can walk.”

“Yeah, but why walk when you don’t have to?” Once Korra found the right angle for the best leverage, she lifted Asami into her arms and made her way for the bedroom. She somehow managed to pull the comforter back and tuck Asami inside.

“Good night, love.” She placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “I’ll join you shortly.”

With what appeared to be her last bit of energy, Asami pulled Korra back down by the back of her neck. “Not shortly. Now,” she whimpered imploringly.

Considering the mess she left in the living room, the shower she really needed to take, and the few texts she needed to return, she decided that they could wait. “Anything for you.”

She slid off her own pants and slipped into bed next to her, smiling at the way Asami pulled herself into her, desperate to be held. Wrapping her arms around her snugly, she counted her blessings and held close to her the one who rose to the top of that list.

———

Over the next few days, Asami learned more by the day that it was okay for her to be cared for. She allowed Korra to dote on her between her video counseling sessions and phone calls, deciding that maybe being cared for wasn’t such an awful thing to need after all.

Two days after Korra arrived, she had Jinora bring by some of her work to catch up on. While she started rifling through her paperwork, she overheard a whispered conversation between Korra and Jinora in the kitchen. She couldn’t make it out entirely, but she did catch phrases like “only essential work,” “much better,” and a few “thank yous.” As Korra showed Jinora to the door, they shared a meaningful look that seemed to communicate a mutual care for Asami’s wellbeing.

By day four, Asami was feeling almost completely better. She still had a bit of a sore throat, but that was to be expected. However, after Korra had brought her breakfast in bed that morning, she began to notice that Korra had picked up a bit of a sniffle herself. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Yeah! Just a little tired I guess. Someone is an aggressive cuddler when she’s sick, but I’m not naming any names here,” she said with a wink and a smirk. Asami playfully shoved her in response.

As the day went on, Korra’s sniffle had progressed to a cough. At Asami’s questioning glance up from her paperwork splayed out across the table, Korra shrugged. “Just a little frog in my throat, all good.”

By the time they ordered a pizza for dinner, Korra left most of hers untouched. As she watched the tv with glazed eyes, Asami decided to ask her again. “You sure you’re feeling okay?”

“Ye- yea-“ _achoo!_ “Um…” _sniff. “_ Yeah, maybe not,” with a sheepish smile. “I’m good though.”

“Oh no, don’t you even _start_ ,” Asami said as she took Korra’s face in her hands. She kissed her firmly - not in a dominant way, but more so adamantly. She smiled triumphantly. “Now it’s my turn to take care of _you_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I have a few more that I should be posting in the next few days. Do y'all have any ideas for what y'all would like to see happen between them? Let me know and I'll see what I can do. :)


End file.
